computer science

PathPing

PathPing is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand PathPing rather than just read about it. In short: The PathPing command is a command-line network utility included in Windows NT operating systems since Windows 2000 that combines the functionality of ping with that of tracert. It is used to locate spots that have network latency and network loss.

Key takeaways

PathPing belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect PathPing to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of PathPing from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The PathPing command is a command-line network utility included in Windows NT operating systems since Windows 2000 that combines the functionality of ping with that of tracert. It is used to locate spots that have network latency and network loss.

Overview The command provides details of the path between two hosts and ping-like statistics for each node in the path based on samples taken over a time period, depending on how many nodes are between the start and end host. The advantages of PathPing over ping and traceroute are that each node is pinged as the result of a single command, and that the behavior of nodes is studied over an extended time period, rather than the default ping sample of four messages or default traceroute single route trace. The disadvantage is that it takes a total of 25 seconds per hop to show the ping statistics.

Syntax The command-syntax is:

pathping [-g host-list] [-h maximum_hops] [-i address] [-n] [-p period] [-q num_queries] [-w timeout] [-P] [-R] [-T] [-4] [-6] target_name

Options:

-g host-list Loose source route along host-list. -h maximum_hops Maximum number of hops to search for target. -i address Use the specified source address. -n Do not resolve addresses to hostnames. -p period Wait period milliseconds between pings. -q num_queries Number of queries per hop. -w timeout Wait timeout milliseconds for each reply. -P Test for RSVP PATH connectivity. -R Test if each hop is RSVP aware. -T Test connectivity to each hop with Layer-2 priority tags. -4 Force using IPv4. -6 Force using IPv6.

Samples Default behavior:

Setting the number of queries per hop, in this case reducing it from 100 to 10 for faster completion:

Do not resolve hostnames (only IP addresses are given for the nodes):

See also ping (networking utility) traceroute MTR – software which combines the functionality of traceroute and ping Layer four traceroute – a more modern traceroute (IP network tracing) implementation that supports a multitude of layer-4 protocols

Notes and references

Further reading Robert Cowart; Brian Knittel (2002). Special Edition Using Windows XP Home Edition, Bestseller Edition. Que Publishing. ISBN 978-0789728517. John Paul Mueller (2007). Windows Administration at the Command Line for Windows Vista, Windows 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0470165799.

External links

pathping | Microsoft Docs – Information about the PathPing tool (Microsoft.com) WinMTR

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with PathPing

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what PathPing claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to PathPing before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about PathPing ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of PathPing

In research: PathPing appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses PathPing in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: PathPing is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Internet Protocol based network software, Network analyzers, Windows administration, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for PathPing outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study PathPing in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what PathPing means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain PathPing out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is PathPing in simple terms?

Why does PathPing matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study PathPing?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on PathPing.